Dianne McDonald: Beauty and the breast

Take a trip down mammary lane, oops, memory lane, with your breasts and you’ll often discover the story of your life. As we age, our relationships with our breasts change often.

Dianne McDonald

Take a trip down mammary lane, oops, memory lane, with your breasts and you’ll often discover the story of your life.

As we age, our relationships with our breasts change often.

Bras become a part of our lives.

The onset of puberty is often marked with that first cotton bra. Mine resembled a Kleenex tissue.

Younger and middle-aged women choose from multiple options depending on their moods. Sexy, strapless and “work” bras are some of the choices.

Many women appreciate the power of push-up bras when their age calls for a little pick-me-up.

There will be times when we recognize that breast containment is an issue. Jogging bras provide stabilization and help women avoid the potential of chin bruising during runs.

Thicker straps and more fabric may do the trick for a pregnant woman, nursing mother or menopausal woman.

This Everyday Feminist is obviously not a stereotypical bra burner.

Fact is, women’s breasts change throughout their lifetimes. Sometimes the changes are due to medical issues or surgeries. Other times, they are due to puberty, weight gain or loss, motherhood, menopause, or, lest we forget, the good old-fashioned power of gravity. Remember, breast presentation shouldn’t be more important than breast health.

We have heard women’s breasts called a plethora of not-too-clever terms.

They do not exist for the sheer delight of our intimate partners. We should not allow our breasts to be judged by the omnipresent alpha-male gaze, nor be used as a determining factor of our feminine identities. We shouldn’t care if others like them or not, as long as we are comfortable with ourselves.

Ladies, our breasts are ours and are perfect just the way they are.

Patriot Ledger contributor Dianne McDonald is a working mother who lives in Marshfield, Mass., with her husband and five kids.